Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Little is known about Thomas William Ridley other that he was a second son of Mr and Mrs Ridley of Shotley Field, Northumberland, born 1889, in Broomley, Northumberland, as declared at the time of his enlistment.
He enlisted in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, when the call to arms was given by Kitchener in response to all Army regiments requiring to raise new battalion. Assigned as Private 51069 he was posted to the Army Reserve and was not mobilised until post January 1916 after the main body of the regiment had departed to France.
Prior to his departure for the front Private Ridley was married during the 2nd quarter (April/May/Jun) 1916 to Ethel Mary Barron, born February 15th 1885 in Healey, Northumberland, daughter of labourer Joseph Barron and his wife Jane. He must have been in England in circa October 1916 as while he was at the front news arrived that his wife had given birth to a daughter, July 18th 1917, whom they named Daisy.
Having been posted to the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers he joined his regiment in the field at the conclusion of the Battles of the Somme, most probably part of the reinforcements needed after the huge losses sustained between July 1st and October 18th at their conclusion. The 1st Battalion by the spring of 1917 had moved to the Arras sector engaged during the Arras Offensive, April 9th-May 16th, at the Battles of the Scarpe and the Battle of Arleux, where the British made headway but had not been able to break through the German lines. After the Battle of Bullecourt, May 3rd-17th 1917 the Arras sector became a quiet front and the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers moved north to the battlefield of the Ypres salient in Belgium where they fought at the Battle of the Menin Road, Polygon Wood, phases of the Third Battle of Ypres, which lasted from July 31st to November 10th 1917, after which they returned to France in action during the Battle of Cambrai, November 20th-December 6th 1917.
Private 51069 Thomas William Ridley was reported as missing and after extensive investigations as to his whereabouts his wife received confirmation, December 6th at the conclusion of the conflict at Cambrai that he had been killed in action, November 20th 1917. It should be noted the Register of Soldiers Effects states November 26th 1917 as the date of his demise.
His sacrifice is recorded as one of over 35,000 names inscribed on the Arras Memorial which lies within Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France, commemorating servicemen from Britain, South Africa and New Zealand who were killed in the sector during the Arras Offensive and the German attack of March 1918 and who have no known grave. He was 27 years of age.
Ethel received all monies due to her husband from the Army, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, also an initial pension for herself and their daughter of 20 shillings 5 pence, awarded May 27th 1918 to be received weekly as of June 10th 1918, decreasing once Daisy turned 16-years of age, July 18th 1933. The effects of Private Ridley of Shotley Field, Northumberland in the sum of 112 pounds 6 shillings was assigned to his widow Ethel, March 19th 1918.
Ethel Ridley nee Barron never remarried, in 1939 she was living at Shotley Field assisted by horseman, Nobel Storrey born March 19th 1889 and Margaret Storey, born February 28th 1900, while her daughter Daisy was living in St. Albans, Herefordshire, where she was a nurse at Cell Barnes Mental Deficiency Institute, as a nurse.
Ethel May Ridley nee Barron of 4, Watling Street, Corbridge, Northumberland, died, March 22nd 1950, effects in the sum of 364 pounds 19 shillings 9 pence to Daisy Ridley, spinster.
Daisy departed from the Port of Southampton bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, March 20th 1953, aboard the, “Scythia,” of the Cunard Steam-Ship Co. Ltd. Records show she returned to England aboard the, “S.S. America, of the United States Lines Company, October 4th 1956, Port of Southampton, from New York via Le Havre, France, on a 6 month visitors' visa, having taken Canadian citizenship, giving the address of Westfield House, Northumberland, as her abode in the U.K.
Further details unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas William Ridley is remembered at Shotley Low Quarter on S28.01 and S28.07
